PUEBLO, Colo. ― It was as if Michael Gaffneywas predestined to be the all-American kid.
He was born on the Fourth of July and the son of a father whospent his professional career serving his country in the MarineCorps. Raised on a ranch in the Southwest, he embodies the spiritof the iconic image of an American cowboy.
Gaffney has long been thought of as a proverbial good guy.
A longtime PBR fan-favorite, in the eyes of fans he still standsfor all that is good in a world that could learn a thing or twofrom the cowboy culture. To them, he can do no wrong, which onlylends credence to, perhaps, the most honest insight he's sharedregarding his historic ride on Little YellowJacket.
"I really made an effort of over extenuating myposture when I left that day, in Nampa, and that was key becauseonce he did get in the spin he still did wind up, have the kick andthe speed and the power-that old saying is 'you get tapped off' andI was there."
In 2004, Gaffney tied the record for the highest marked ridewith a 96.5 point effort in Nampa, Idaho.
"I guess the stars were lined up for me that day as well as thejudges," Gaffney recalled, "I mean, quite frankly, the judges wereall my friends. It was a great bull ride and I spurred him a coupleof times, but the 96.5 ― to compare it to BubbaDunn's or Chris Shivers' rides ― no, itwasn't.
"To be a gift it might have been a 93, 94 maybe. To be 96.5, Idon't think so, but again," he continued, now laughing, "I havepretty good friends."
Three men ― Dunn, Shivers and Gaffney ― hold the record for thehighest-marked ride in PBR history with 96.5 points. Dunn rodePromise Land in 1999, Shivers rode JimJam in 2000 and Dillinger in 2001, and Gaffney rodeLittle Yellow Jacket in 2004.
Dunn said "it tickles you to death" to know his name sits atopthe all-time list of high-marked rides in the PBR and to knowsomeone like Cody Lambert has told him, "Best damn ride I've seenin my life."
Throughout its 20th anniversary season, the PBR will profile theTop 20 Moments in PBR History. "High-Marked Ride" is the latest inan ongoing series of moments.
Both Dunn and Shivers ― it's only fitting Shivers would haveaccomplished the feat twice considering he scored 90 or more pointsmore than 90 times in his illustrious career ― will be featured inforthcoming moments as well as a second series of featureshighlighting the "20/20" series, in which 20 of the greatest PBRevents will be rebroadcast on RFD-TV, so today's feature focuses onGaffney's historic outing that took place nine years ago thisweek.
"It was almost easy," said Gaffney, who had bucked off LittleYellow Jacket twice before, including a week earlier in ColoradoSprings, Colo.
By then, Little Yellow Jacket had earned quite a reputation.
He had won the World Champion Bull title in 2002 and 2003 andwas en route to winning an all-time PBR record third title in 2004that still stands today.
Gaffney, who was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 2005,describes him as being one of the greatest bucking bulls in thehistory of bull riding.
He was young jock that ― like his human counterparts ― turnedinto a great jock ― and it was a rather quick transformation. In acareer that spanned seven seasons he "brought it every time" andnever had an off-day.
In addition to his three titles, he accumulated an average bullscore of 46.134 points and 33 times in 84 outs he was thehigh-marked bull of the event, while being ridden only 14 times (11of which were for round wins).
Click here to view more photos ofhigh marked rides in PBR history.
Gaffney believes Little Yellow Jacket's success waspredetermined.
"He had the heart of a champion," Gaffney said. "I think, he wasborn that way."
In fact, he had the heart and all the tools used to judgebulls.
In terms of difficulty, he could buck, kick and changedirections. He had intensity and power and, according to Gaffney,"he was a full load." The difficulty factor was only compounded bythe power of a bull that weighed between 1,700 and 1,800pounds.
"Nothing was in short supply for him," said Gaffney, whodescribed Little Yellow Jacket's first move out of the chute asbeing a "slump jump" that included a hop, skip and ahesitation.
Gaffney knew that when he got on him, in 2001, at an event inAuburn Hills, Mich., and he certainly knew when he got on him inColorado Springs - a week before he finally cracked him for 96.5points in Nampa at the Idaho Center.
"I had been on him several times previous to that final day, inNampa, where I eventually got him rode," Gaffney said. "I had himthe week before in Colorado Springs and he had that, like I saidbefore, that signature move ― that step out, hop and skip and kindof rock you back on your (butt) and then just bring you down overthe front end."
He then explained, "I really made an effort of over extenuatingmy posture when I left that day, in Nampa, and that was key becauseonce he did get in the spin he still did wind up, have the kick andthe speed and the power ― that old saying is 'you get tapped off'and I was there.
"I pulled a foot and helped myself out. I was feeling great andgave that aggressiveness that I want to have when I was in theposition I was."
Although Gaffney is simply being honest with his self-evaluationof scoring himself "90, 91 or something like that" he'sconsiderably underscoring the fact that he was able to "pull afoot" and spur a bull the size and caliber of Little YellowJacket.
"I felt it," said Gaffney, when asked if he could sense thegrowing excitement in the arena. The 96.5 points he scored that daywas a full 11 points over Gaffney's career average of 85.5points.
It's only fitting that later that year, in Las Vegas, Gaffneyfaced Little Yellow Jacket one last time.
In the final outing of his own career, Gaffney faced LittleYellow Jacket in the eighth round of the World Finals. Whereas hewent right in Nampa, Little Yellow Jacket went left in Vegas andthe two went the distance for 93.75 points.
"It took a long time to get there," Gaffney said, "but I enjoyedboth directions and had success twice that year."
Follow Keith Ryan Cartwright on Twitter @PBR_KRC.